With one game down in Week 11 and 13 more to go on Sunday and Monday, Sporting News' network of NFL correspondents examines a hot topic for every team:

For years, the vast majority of Patriots fans subscribed to the phrase: "In Bill we trust." That trust in coach Bill Belichick may be slipping this season, however.

Even though the Patriots have won three straight games, there is unrest among the fan base. Longtime problems—an inconsistent pass rush and substandard secondary—continue to be problems.

There are questions about draft picks, about coaching, about play-calling. And with Tom Brady now 35, there is a fear New England won't put the pieces around him to win another Super Bowl before his run is done.

Belichick coached up a patchwork defense last year and got the team to the Super Bowl, but there is growing concern, and rightfully so, that that may not happen again this year with a young team that can't seem to close out games.

—Shalise Manza Young

AFC East

Buffalo Bills: The Buffalo Bills may have found a gem in defensive end Kyle Moore. A fourth-round draft pick of the Buccaneers in 2009, the Bills signed Moore off the Detroit practice squad in November 2011. He has started the past two games, with Mark Anderson and Chris Kelsay sidelined, and flashed pass-rush potential. Moore put up his first two career sacks in the past three weeks and gave Dolphins Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long all he could handle in Buffalo’s 19-14 win Thursday night. Moore still needs to develop as a run stopper. —Jay Skurski

Miami Dolphins: Forget the notion that Reggie Bush is an elite running back—or even the Dolphins' top running back. He hasn't rushed for 100 yards since Week 2, had another abysmal performance against the Bills (20 yards) Thursday night and for the fourth straight game had fewer carries than Daniel Thomas (12 to 10). Bush appears to be running hesitantly and doesn't seem to be a good fit in the Dolphins' zone running game. Don't be shocked if the Dolphins let him walk away in free agency and move forward with Thomas and Lamar Miller. —Ben Volin

New York Jets: Coach Rex Ryan ripped the “cowardly” players, in his opinion, who anonymously criticized Tim Tebow in a published report. But what is more important going forward is that Ryan start cleaning up those leaks by letting players know there are consequences for such things. Ryan is well-known as a players coach, and thus players take liberties with him. That lack of institutional control sometimes carries over to the field and can be blamed for the lack of overall discipline and some of the repeated mental mistakes made by this 3-6 team. A tighter ship in the locker room might translate into more cohesive performances on the field. —J.P. Pelzman

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens: Keep an eye on cornerback Chris Johnson, formerly of the Raiders. The Ravens signed him this week shortly before they announced starting second-year cornerback Jimmy Smith (groin surgery) would miss the rest of the regular season. This is the second starting cornerback to suffer a major injury. Lardarius Webb is out for the season after tearing his ACL in Week 6. Smith had been starting for Webb. Now Corey Graham will replace Smith and Chykie Brown will play the nickel until Johnson learns the defense. Johnson is an eight-year veteran and has decent speed, so he will likely replace Brown and then challenge Graham for the starting spot. The Ravens are ranked No. 26 in pass defense, allowing 258.2 yards per game. —Mike Preston

Cincinnati Bengals: If the Bengals are going to get a win in Kansas City and get back to .500, they are going to need a good game from the run defense. Jamaal Charles ran for over 100 yards the last time the two teams met and the Bengals have allowed two backs this season to go over the century mark. The run D has improved over the past couple games. One reason for that is Rey Maualuga has dropped 20 pounds and has been improved against the run and in coverage. —Joe Reedy

Cleveland Browns: The Browns need to establish an identity on offense that can be their mark when the team tries to return to relevance in 2013. Here’s a plan that could work: Ride running back Trent Richardson hard but spell him every fourth series or so. Identify Josh Gordon and Greg Little as the top two wideouts, while working slot receiver Josh Cooper and speedster Travis Benjamin into the mix. Last and perhaps most important, they need to get more efficiency from quarterback Brandon Weeden. —Steve Doerschuk

Pittsburgh Steelers: James Harrison will play in his sixth consecutive game Sunday night, when the Steelers meet the Ravens. Harrison missed the entire offseason, training camp and first three games of the regular season with a knee injury. And it is apparent he is not even close to being the player who was the NFL’s defensive player of the year four years ago. The biggest issue is he can’t bend his knee and therefore can’t get the leverage he relies on so much. Harrison has played nearly every snap since returning—remarkable considering he missed so much training time. The coaches say he is still doing a good job protecting the edge against the run and even in coverage. Still, it is apparent he is not the impact player he was—nor will be the rest of the year. —Gerry Dulac

AFC South

Houston Texans: The season is a series of tests, and now the Texans have to pass the next one. They made a statement against the Bears at Soldier Field: They can defeat a good team on the road in terrible conditions. Now the Texans have to show they can avoid a letdown against one of the worst teams in the league. The Texans are 8-1. Jacksonville is 1-8. So far, the Texans haven’t looked beyond an opponent. In their eight victories, no team has come within six points of defeating them. With a Thanksgiving Day game coming up at Detroit, the Texans have to prove they won’t look past the Jaguars toward the turkey and dressing in the nationally televised game against the Lions. —John McClain

Indianapolis Colts: Interim coach/offensive coordinator Bruce Arians has been aggressive in his approach and handling of rookie quarterback Andrew Luck. He’s been attacking defenses with intermediate and long passes, putting the pressure on secondaries. That has to continue Sunday at New England. The Colts’ pass defense has been spotty and is missing starting corners Jerraud Powers (on IR with a toe injury) and Vontae Davis (knee). Tom Brady is going to pile up the yards and points. It’s imperative for Luck to keep up with Brady and keep the heat on New England’s No. 29-ranked pass defense. The Colts won’t win a low-scoring ballgame. Luck needs to be on top of his game in a hostile environment. —Mike Chappell

Jacksonville Jaguars: Sunday’s matchup with the Texans is just four days off from the two-year anniversary of the Jaguars’ last win over Houston, a 31-24 victory that resulted from David Garrard’s 50-yard Hail Mary pass to Mike Thomas on the game’s final play. It’s amazing how the fortunes of both teams have been reversed since that day. The Jaguars are 9-32 since the Garrard-Thomas connection. They now share the NFL’s worst record (1-8) with Kansas City and have to wonder when things will turn around. That Hail Mary pass was supposed to be a sign of a bright future, but just the opposite has happened. —Gene Frenette

Tennessee Titans: The Steelers (6-3) could be without Ben Roethlisberger for several weeks. The surprising Colts (6-3) have a schedule that includes games at New England and at Houston. The Titans (4-6) have reason to believe the current AFC wild card leaders are capable of coming back to the pack. Yet they have provided no reasons to believe they’re consistent enough to get on a winning streak to put themselves in contention for a playoff spot. So far, they have to win more than two straight games. They became the first team in NFL history to win by 30 points a week after losing by 30. Those types of wild swings make you wonder whether they can get their act together. —Jim Wyatt

AFC West

Denver Broncos: If 2009 first-round pick Robert Ayers wants to shed his "bust" label, Sunday could represent his best opportunity. Ayers had been relegated to spot duty most of the season until Elvis Dumervil injured his shoulder in Carolina last week. Ayers stepped in and responded with arguably the best game of his career: a sack, two pass breakups and two tackles for loss. Should Dumervil not play Sunday, Ayers would have another chance to make a statement for more playing time. And though he is unlikely to become a permanent starter this year, another strong effort could compel the Broncos to move Derek Wolfe inside in 2013, which would restore Ayers to his previous starting spot at left end. —Andrew Mason

Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs should use Sunday’s game against Cincinnati as a chance to get quarterback Ricky Stanzi some playing time. Though he has returned to full practice duty after his recent concussion, Brady Quinn has yet to be cleared to play in a game, so Matt Cassel will start against the Bengals. Quinn will likely return for next week’s game against the Broncos, so the Cincinnati game is a good time to get some plays for Stanzi, a fifth-round pick last year who hasn’t taken a snap in a regular season game. The Chiefs will be looking for quarterbacks for next season, and it’s time to find out whether Stanzi can be a competent backup or if the Chiefs should move on. —Adam Teicher

Oakland Raiders: If the Raiders lose to New Orleans on Sunday, they'll be 3-7 and pretty much out of the playoff race. If so, it’s time for coach Dennis Allen and G.M. Reggie McKenzie to start shifting their sights toward 2013. That means taking long looks at young players such as running back Taiwan Jones, wide receiver Juron Criner and quarterback Terrelle Pryor, as well as players they may not be sure about bringing back (middle linebacker Rolando McClain, linebacker Aaron Curry and defensive tackle Tommy Kelly). Allen and McKenzie need all the information they can get when continuing the rebuilding process in an offseason that figures to be full of roster upheaval. —Steve Corkran

San Diego Chargers: Finish or be finished. Through nine games, a failure to close out games has haunted the Chargers, losing against the Saints, Broncos and Buccaneers after leading in the second half. Philip Rivers has a 56.5 quarterback rating in the fourth quarter, worst in the NFL among starters. He’s thrown six of his 12 interceptions in the final period. The Chargers (4-5) must improve Sunday against a Broncos team that knows how to close. No team has more sacks after the first half than Denver, and quarterback Peyton Manning’s 121.8 fourth quarter passer rating is second in the league. In the last matchup against Denver, the Chargers became the first team in NFL history to turn a 24-point halftime lead into a double-digit loss. —Michael Gehlken

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys: Now that receiver Dez Bryant has been able to resolve the misdemeanor family violence charge against him, look for him to break out even more on the field. A burden has been lifted off his shoulders, allowing him to focus mainly on football and being the best player he can be. Although Bryant has caught 45 passes for 590 yards and three touchdowns, his play has been offset by bouts of inconsistency, including dropped passes and busted routes. He has improved lately and now can truly play worry free. —Clarence Hill

New York Giants: If this bye week doesn’t go a long way toward healing what ails wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, the Giants might have to be resigned to Nicks having a subpar season. He was slowed early in the season coming off a broken right foot, then missed three games dealing with the foot and also swelling in his left knee. His production is down and his ability to beat double-coverage and make explosive plays down the field has been severely limited. Nicks has only 36 receptions and one touchdown and is averaging 12.9 yards per catch. The Giants are hoping his most recent game—a nine-catch, 75-yard effort in Cincinnati—is a sign of things to come. —Paul Schwartz

Philadelphia Eagles: The organization and players are doing their best to alleviate the pressure on rookie quarterback Nick Foles by avoiding any “savior” references. The reality is if Foles can help the team break its five-game losing streak by leading the Eagles to a win against the Redskins, he’ll give the entire team some reason to hope the season isn’t totally over—and that’s about as close to being a savior as possible. Quarterback changes can sometimes provide the spark a team need to gets its season back on track. Only two of the team’s next seven opponents currently have winning records, so the chance to make a run is there. —Geoff Mosher

Washington Redskins: The Redskins have a dismal record against rookie quarterbacks, having lost eight straight to newbies. But their real problem with Philadelphia isn't Nick Foles, it's receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin and running back LeSean McCoy. None of them is having a great season, but all have hurt Washington in the past. All Foles needs to do is make quick decisions and find the playmakers. The trick for Washington is manufacturing a pass rush that can bother Foles. One suggestion: keep moving linebacker Ryan Kerrigan around. His best success has come when they use him a little on the right and in the middle as well as slant him inside on occasion. —John Keim

NFC North

Chicago Bears: Jay Cutler’s concussion only underscores the greatest problem facing the Bears. They haven't addressed their offensive line in a proper fashion through the draft or free agency. They've taken the cheap route, saying Mike Tice can coach up a line of misfit parts that includes two seventh-round picks. Cutler has been scrambling for his life, and frequently has no open targets because the line is max-protecting with fewer targets in patterns. The Bears thought they had supplied Cutler with enough weapons to win, but that was only a tease if they can't buy him enough time to use them. —Gene Chamberlain

Detroit Lions: Sunday’s game against the Packers—and really the next six weeks—will be a referendum on the Lions’ offseason philosophy. Faced with serious questions about their secondary, the Lions shunned the big-ticket acquisition and tried patching holes with a few late-round draft picks. Midway through November, they’re dealing with familiar injury and depth concerns heading into a difficult seven-game stretch against some of the league’s best passing attacks. If their secondary folds again, the Lions will need to take a more proactive approach this spring or risk seeing their window for a championship run close altogether. —Dave Birkett

Green Bay Packers: As bad as Detroit's secondary might be, here's why it won't be the determining factor in Sunday’s game. The Lions will dominate at the line of scrimmage and make quarterback Aaron Rodgers' life miserable. They've done it before. The combination of dome noise and the Lions' quickness off the ball will shut down the Packers' offense. With Evan Dietrich-Smith at left guard and Jeff Saturday at center the line will not be able to physically handle Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. Pressure up the middle will disrupt the flow of the offense. All the Lions have to do is make sure they don't let Rodgers run for a ton of yards. —Tom Silverstein

Minnesota Vikings: G.M. Rick Spielman needs to extend the contracts of dynamic receiver Percy Harvin and coach Leslie Frazier as soon as possible after the season ends. Both have contracts through the 2013 season, but neither is expected to start next season without a contract extension. Spielman has a history of rewarding core players with long-term deals the year before their rookie contracts expire. So Harvin will get his money. And lots of it. As for Frazier, he has proved to be the steady hand to guide this young team into the future. Players respect and admire him. And his egoless nature is exactly what Spielman and the team needs long-term. —Mark Craig

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons, under former coordinator Mike Mularkey, were perhaps the premier power rushing attack in the league. With fullback Ovie Mughelli leading the way for Michael Turner, they powered through defenses. Since Mughelli suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 7 of last season, the Falcons have not been able to run the ball in short-yardage situations. Last week against the arch-rival Saints, a drive stalled after the Falcons drove to the 1-yard line. Mughelli was in training camp with the Rams and was cut, so it may be the end of the line for him. But the Falcons need to work him out and see if he has anything left in the tank. —D. Orlando Ledbetter

Carolina Panthers: Before the season started, most observers liked the Panthers' offensive line but had questions had about the defensive line. So much for that. While the offensive line has struggled since the season-ending injury to Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil, the defensive line has been the team's strength. Ends Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy have combined for 15 sacks, the second-highest total for a duo behind Denver's Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil (17). Meanwhile, tackles Dwan Edwards and Ron Edwards have been the run-stuffers the Panthers had long lacked. The Panthers' defense has kept the team in games. The offense—the line in particular—hasn't held up its end. —Joe Person

New Orleans Saints: The defense proved its mettle with two goal-line stands in the fourth quarter against the Falcons last week. But they still gave up too many deep balls and more than 400 passing yards. The test this Sunday at Oakland—and for the rest of the year—will be to see if they can finally reduce the big passing plays. That will especially be true against the Raiders, who should be somewhat one-dimensional because of injuries at running back. The Saints need to force Oakland to earn its way downfield rather than allowing the quick-strike scores that have haunted them. —Mike Triplett

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The play of the offensive line has been nothing short of remarkable. Despite the loss of Pro Bowl guards Davin Joseph and Carl Nicks and the inability of incumbent right tackle Jeremy Trueblood to keep his job, the makeshift line has done as good a job as any protecting its quarterback. The Bucs have allowed only 13 sacks and 26 QB hits—the second-fewest in the league in both categories. The unit has also paved the way for the league’s fourth-leading ground gainer, Doug Martin. O-line coach Bob Bostad has long had a reputation for making five pennies look like a nickel, and he’s certainly done that with this season. —Roy Cummings

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals: There haven't been a lot of positive things about this season. But at least the Cardinals know now that Kevin Kolb is a better quarterback than John Skelton. Kolb was at least efficient when he was healthy, completing nearly 60 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. Skelton played better against the Packers two weeks ago, but his inaccuracy hurt the team in his previous three starts. He has a 55.8 completion percentage, with two touchdowns and five picks. The Cardinals face a difficult decision in the offseason if neither Kolb nor Skelton impresses over the next seven weeks. —Kent Somers

St. Louis Rams: After running the gauntlet of three Super Bowl contenders (Green Bay, New England and San Francisco), the playing field levels out for St. Louis over the next two Sundays. In the Jets (3-6) and Cardinals (4-5), the Rams face struggling teams that have trouble scoring. If the Rams are truly serious about showing progress in 2012 from their sad-sack ways of the past, these are games they must win. The Rams are relatively healthy, and there is growing confidence on offense after scoring 24 points at San Francisco. —Jim Thomas

San Francisco 49ers: Maybe this is the time to finally play running back Brandon Jacobs. Frank Gore is having an excellent season, but he has started to accumulate little injuries—something that affected Gore's production at midseason last year. Jacobs looked excellent in preseason before injuring his knee. He is now more than a month removed from a clean bill of health but has yet to play a snap in a 49ers uniform. He is beyond eager to see some action. —Matt Barrows

Seattle Seahawks: Cornerback Richard Sherman was the only starter from Seattle's secondary who did not play in the Pro Bowl last season, but he's the first one in line this year. He has four interceptions and last week had a sack and forced fumble on the first blitz of his NFL career. At 6-3, he has the size to bother opposing receivers, the quickness to stay with them and the hands—and confidence—to believe he could play receiver in the NFL, too. —Danny O’Neil